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HARLINGEN — There’s the heaving and the metallic clanking and the whispering of the pulleys throughout the large area filled with weights and mirrors and aspirations for a better life filled with health and opportunity.
“Everybody has an extra 20 pounds and I’m trying to lose at least 10,” said Juan Vela, 34, as he prepares to do a bench press at TruFit Athletic Club at 1001 N. Ed Carey Drive in Harlingen.
It’s a time of resolution before the end of one thing and the beginning of another, when people stop and reflect over their past and set goals for their futures. Throughout many places people make all manner of determinations about how they’d like to pursue life going forward.
They speak of mended relationships, they plan for the completion of projects and the beginning of others, they look forward to career advancement and prosperity. Most often, however, people hit the gyms in search of greater health.
“I want to get on track for my health for the New Year,” said Ilda Garcia, 40, as she paused between sets on a weight machine.
“I have been coming to the gym but this New Year I am going to lose weight and try to get off my meds for my sugar levels,” she said.
Gyms everywhere are filling up for the New Year. The phenomenon of New Year’s resolutions and the jump in gym memberships has been the rule for many generations. People seeking new health flood the gyms for a few weeks after the New Year and then gradually decline as life gets in the way.
However, the pandemic three years ago knocked this pattern completely off the rails. Gyms closed for a time as people sheltered in place to stop the spread of COVID-19. In fact, almost all businesses shuttered their doors until gradually things began to open again.
A slow rebounding has been in process since the virus came under control, but with a much altered trajectory from before the pandemic.
At TruFit, numbers have actually increased from before the pandemic, said Jahira Coronado, sales representative.
“Gym memberships have been going up since the pandemic because everyone wants to come back and to actually get back to working out and set their goals,” she said. “I think the pandemic cut them off from what they wanted to do. I think now it’s more people coming in than before.”
There is, however, the new complication of high inflation. That presented a new challenge.
“It is hard to bring people back because of inflation,” she said. “I try my best to bring people in, talk to them into coming back in. I call them and I tell them, ‘I saw that you were interested in the gym.’ Like what can I do to bring them in? How can I help them?”
In spite of all these challenges, sales have been good. People are coming in for new memberships and New Year’s resolutions.
Young Elias Ramirez plays football and runs track, and he was at the gym Thursday afternoon to improve his performance.
“I just started yesterday,” said Elias, 13. “I want to gain weight.”
